Analysis Paralysis
Paralysis by Analysis · Overthinking
The state of overthinking a decision to the point where no action is taken — when the pursuit of the perfect choice prevents any choice at all.
Origin
The rhyming phrase "paralysis by analysis" appeared as early as 1956, when Charles Schwartz used it in a management article on return-on-investment decision-making. H. Igor Ansoff popularized it in his 1965 book Corporate Strategy, warning against over-analysis in business planning. The underlying idea echoes Voltaire's 1770 maxim "the best is the enemy of the good" and has roots stretching back to Aesop's fable of the fox and the cat — many plans versus one decisive action.
Everyday Use
You spend 45 minutes reading restaurant reviews and end up ordering from the same place as always. Or you compare every feature of ten nearly identical laptops until the sale ends. When the cost of deciding starts to outweigh the benefit of deciding well, you've hit analysis paralysis.